US3828279A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Data handling system employing time modulation
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-10-13
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Granted: 1974-08-06
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Expires: 1992-10-13
Abstract
Abstract Each of a number of substantially conventional transducers is packaged together with a modulator to provide an output having a period that is linearly related to the analog input or condition sensed by the transducer. A multiplexer switch is included in each package and a number of channels of combined transducer modulator and multiplexer switches are arranged to be addressed in a selected order for sequential readout as determined by operation of an address controller. The address controller receives data in sequence from the multiplexer switches of the several time modulators and generates a gate signal having a duration equal to the duration of a number of consecutive chronologically contiguous data periods from each one of the transducer-time modulator channels. The gate signal allows a number of fixed frequency, high repetition rate clock pulses to be passed to a pulse counter and memory circuit which thus provides a digital representation and storage of the analog or condition inputs to the several transducers. A unique time modulator comprising a modified, free-running multivibrator receiving an input through an impedance conversion circuit from the sensing transducer has each half cycle duration linearly related to such input. A power supply in common with the transducer is employed by the modulator in such a manner that fluctuations of the power supply cause variations in the transducer output that are compensated by concomitant variations of the modulator.
Inventors
- 👤 W Terbrack
- 👤 J Labarber
- 👤 R Shade
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 04:23
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K7/00; H03K7/08; G; G08; G08C; G08C15/00; G08C15/06; G08C15/12; H04; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/16; H04J3/1676
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A data handling system comprising at least one input channel, said channel comprising: an analog signal input, modulating means responsive to said signal input for generating a repetitive time modulated signal having a period that has a predetermined relation to said analog signal input, and means for employing said time modulated signal to provide an indication of said input, said last mentioned means comprising means for indicating the total duration of a number of periods of said signal, said means for indicating comprising means for initiating a time interval upon occurrence of one of said periods, means for terminating said time interval upon occurrence of a predetermined number of said periods following said one period, and means for indicating the duration of said time interval.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A data handling system comprising at least one input channel, said channel comprising: an analog signal input, modulating means responsive to said signal input for generating a repetitive time modulated signal having a period that has a predetermined relation to said analog signal input, and means for employing said time modulated signal to provide an indication of said input, said last mentioned means comprising means for indicating the total duration of a number of periods of said signal, said means for indicating comprising means for initiating a time interval upon occurrence of one of said periods, means for terminating said time interval upon occurrence of a predetermined number of said periods following said one period, and means for indicating the duration of said time interval.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 1 including a transducer having a circuit for producing said analog signal input in accordance with a condition to be sensed by thE transducer, and further including means for packaging said transducer circuit and said modulating means together as a single unit whereby the repetitive time modulated signal occurs near the transducer and the length of analog data transmission line from the transducer to the modulator is minimized.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
The system of claim 2 including a switch interposed between the output of said modulating means and the input of said means for employing said time modulated signal, said switch being positioned within said packaging means, said packaging means including a switch controlling input terminal for receiving an external command signal whereby said time modulated signal may be transmitted to said means to provide an indication of said input in response to an externally applied command signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said modulating means includes means for generating a fluctuating signal having repetitive full cycles of fluctuation, each said full cycle having a basic period, and wherein said modulating means further includes means responsive to said analog signal input for modulating said fluctuating signal to vary the period of each of said full cycles in direct proportion to said analog signal input.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said means for generating a fluctuating signal comprises means for generating each of at least a plurality of full cycles of said fluctuating signal with half cycles of mutually equal basic duration, and wherein said means for modulating said fluctuating signal comprises means for varying the duration each of said half cycles in proportion to said input signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said means for initiating a time interval upon occurrence of one of said periods and said means for terminating said time interval comprises counting means responsive to said modulating means for counting repetitions of said time modulated signal, and gating means responsive to said counting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The system, of claim 6 wherein said means for indicating duration of said time interval includes oscillating means for generating a train of pulses of fixed repetition rate, means for feeding said fixed repetition rate pulses to said gating means, and means for accumulating a count of said fixed repetition rate pulses passed by said gating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 6 including means for selectively varying the total count of said counting means to thereby vary the total number of time modulated signal repetitions counted and thereby vary the resolution of the indication.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
A data handling system comprising at least one input channel, said channel comprising: an analog signal input, modulating means responsive to said signal input for generating a repetitive time modulated signal having a period that has a predetermined relation to said analog signal input, and means for employing said time modulated signal to provide an indication of said input, said last mentioned means comprising means for indicating the total duration of a number of the periods of said signal, said means for indicating comprising means for gating a train of fixed repetition rate clock pulses for a gating period equal to the duration of said number of periods of said signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
A data handling system comprising at least one input channel, said channel comprising: an analog signal input, modulating means responsive to said signal input for generating a repetitive time modulated signal having a period that has a predetermined relation to said analog signal input, and means for employing said time modulated signal to provide an indication of said input, said last mentioned means comprising means for indicating the total duration of a number of the periods of said signal, said means for indicating comprising means for gating a train of fixed repetition rate clock pulses for a gating period equal to the duration of said number of periods of said signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 9 including a transducer having a circuit for producing said analog signal input in accordance with a condition to be sensed by the transducer, and further including means for packaging said transducer circuit and said modulating means together as a single unit whereby the repetitive time modulated signal occurs near the transducer and the length of analog data transmission line from the transducer to the modulator is minimized.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
112 words
The method of handling information comprising the steps of generating a fluctuating signal having repetitive full cycles of basic duration, and mutually equal basic duration positive going and negative going half cycles, time modulating said signal to change the duration of each of said half Cycles by an amount directly proportional to the information to be handled, and employing such signal with its information varied half cycle durations as an indication of said information, said last-mentioned step comprising the steps of indicating the total duration of a predetermined number of cycles of said time modulated signal to provide an expanded representation of the information contained in the duration of individual half cycles.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
112 words
The method of handling information comprising the steps of generating a fluctuating signal having repetitive full cycles of basic duration, and mutually equal basic duration positive going and negative going half cycles, time modulating said signal to change the duration of each of said half Cycles by an amount directly proportional to the information to be handled, and employing such signal with its information varied half cycle durations as an indication of said information, said last-mentioned step comprising the steps of indicating the total duration of a predetermined number of cycles of said time modulated signal to provide an expanded representation of the information contained in the duration of individual half cycles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said step of indicating total duration includes the steps of counting a selected number of cycles of said time modulated signal, generating a gating signal having a duration proportional to the number of cycles counted, and counting the number of pulses of a fixed repetition rate pulse train that occur during said gating signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 12 including the step of varying the resolution of the representation of information contained in the duration of individual half cycles by selectively varying the total number of cycles counted.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
175 words
A data handling system comprising input means adapted to receive a signal input, means for generating a fluctuating signal having repetitive full cycles of fluctuation, each said full cycle having a basic period, and means responsive to said signal input for modulating said generating means to vary the period of each said full cycle in direct proportion to said input signal, a pulse shaper responsive to said means for modulating and having an output, a counter responsive to the output of said pulse shaper and including means for generating a gating signal having a duration proportional to a number counted by the counter, means for selectively varying the number to be counted by the counter thereby to selectively vary the duration of said gating signal, an oscillator having a fixed repetition rate output, a coincidence circuit having a first input from said gating signal and having a second input from said oscillator output, and having a counting output, and means for indicating the total number of units in the counting output of said coincidence means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
175 words
A data handling system comprising input means adapted to receive a signal input, means for generating a fluctuating signal having repetitive full cycles of fluctuation, each said full cycle having a basic period, and means responsive to said signal input for modulating said generating means to vary the period of each said full cycle in direct proportion to said input signal, a pulse shaper responsive to said means for modulating and having an output, a counter responsive to the output of said pulse shaper and including means for generating a gating signal having a duration proportional to a number counted by the counter, means for selectively varying the number to be counted by the counter thereby to selectively vary the duration of said gating signal, an oscillator having a fixed repetition rate output, a coincidence circuit having a first input from said gating signal and having a second input from said oscillator output, and having a counting output, and means for indicating the total number of units in the counting output of said coincidence means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-05 | 1978-02-04 | 1978-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-05 | 1982-02-04 | 1982-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-05 | 1986-02-04 | 1986-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |